Feature story: A young woman's unseen challenge

A young woman’s unseen challenge

College student is defined by dedication, friendships – not by blindness

By Brian Mezerski

            The only light in the hall beamed from the study room where one girl sat moving her eyes from biology notes to computer screen and back.  Even though all the other students on the floor were in their rooms and peacefully sleeping, she continued into the early morning studying and reading for the test.

         Angela Tatano Shuback is the girl everyone sees spending several hours in the study room each night.  Those people quickly passing by the room say she is truly a remarkable young lady who epitomizes the dogged, successful student.

            But no one passing by the study room would ever notice one unique quality about Angela unless she told them.  She’s legally blind.

            Angela, or “Ange,” has been considered legally blind for all 19 years of her life.

            “The day after I was born, the doctors told my mom I needed glasses,” Shuback said.

            Although they knew there would be some difficulties for her, Angela’s parents, Jim and Celeste Shuback, knew their child was a blessing.

            “Considering her being seven weeks premature and spending her first three weeks of her life in neonatal intensive care,” said Celeste Shuback, Angela’s mom, “the vision was a minor issue given the many other potential problems of a premature child.”

            Angela’s father, Jim Shuback, knew his 3-pound-12-ounce baby had a complete life-journey ahead of her.

            “I’ll never forget how her world opened up at six months old, when we put her first pair of glasses on,” Jim Shuback said.  “She began to see things that she never saw before and just smiled.”

            A person who is legally blind has central visual acuities of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the best possible correction, according to the American Foundation for the Blind.

            Although Angela’s vision classifies her as legally blind, “she has never used it as an excuse or crutch,” Jim Shuback said.  “I think her determination comes from inside just wanting to be the best person she can be.”

            Angela said she never viewed her blindness as a problem, even from an early age.

            “As far as I was concerned,” Angela said, “this could be a normal thing.”

            Angela does not focus on any negativity that comes because of her vision.  Instead, she strives for her best in anything. 

            But helping herself is not Angela’s first priority.  Angela has always been caring and kind.  She always thinks about the feelings of others, according to her mother.

            Celeste Shuback knows through her own personal experience the depth of Angela’s love for her family.

            “She took on a role as care giver and mother for a short time three years ago when I had surgery for cancer,” Celeste Shuback said.  “She was very compassionate but stayed strong and helped do many of the daily chores that I was unable to do for a few months.”

            Angela said her family and relationships are a high priority in her life.  In her years growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, Angela extended her compassion to her friends because of the love they showed her.  And she cherishes her bonds of friendship.

            During her junior year of high school, Angela attended a Kairos retreat, a Christian retreat program that provided students the chance to contemplate God’s role in their lives.  There, she felt a growing connection with fellow people and friends.

            “It was the best experience of my whole life,” Angela said.  “In your small group, you can say anything you want because you feel really safe around them.”

            Angela said everyone could gather their life experiences and collectively tell people about them.

            During the retreat, students received individual mailboxes to which other students send notes to anyone.

            “I got a lot of cool notes from people I didn’t even know ever wanted to talk to me or thought I was a cool person,” Angela said.  “It just makes you feel good.”

            Angela said she truly valued the words people wrote to her.  She said the moment she received a letter was something special to her.

            “You just take your box,” Angela said, “go by yourself and read all your letters and cry.”

            Angela said these times will always be in her memory, but her positive characteristics have not changed over time.  Angela’s pattern of compassion continues today, especially with her college roommate.

            “She keeps up with friends like no one else I know,” said Dannie Cooper, Angela’s roommate at Elon University.  “If you mention something in passing, she’d be the one to remember it and ask you about it later.  She’s a friend that will never leave you.”

            Angela and her roommate met their senior year of high school on Facebook, where other accepted students were completing roommate surveys to find the perfect match. 

            “I’m pretty good at making friends because I really like talking to people,” Angela said, “but I was afraid since I never shared a room or lived with anyone that Dannie wouldn’t like me or anything.”

            But Angela could not stray from her model of being a loving friend.  Angela talked with her roommate throughout the summer until they finally moved in together when they started college. 

            “I am literally living with my best friend,” Cooper said. “As her friend, and even as her roommate, I'm dedicated to being there for her.  We hang out, encourage each other to get through the week and support each other on the bad days.”

            Angela tries to spread the type of friendship that she has with her roommate to everyone because she understands people for who they are.

            “I care about them,” Angela said.  “I want to know about their lives and stay in touch with them.  I value their friendships.”

            Angela showed her compassion on a service trip during her first college spring break.  Angela participated in a vendor-for-a-day program and shadowed a homeless person who had to sell newspapers for income.

            Through the program, Angela developed a greater compassion for humans.

            “You realize how many people ignore the homeless on a daily basis or don’t even give them eye contact,” Angela said.

            Angela was astonished after coming to the realization that the homeless have to go through those struggles every day.

            “It was kind of mind blowing how I never really thought about how big of an impact even saying, ‘Hello,’ can have on them,” Angela said.

            Angela’s experience during her spring break paralleled some events in her own life.  Passing on the friendly gesture is a challenge Angela sometimes faces.  But it’s not on purpose.

            “Sometimes people will say, ‘Hi,’ to me and I don’t see them until they’re right up close to me,” Angela said.  “I wish I could acknowledge people if they say ‘Hi,’ to me, but I don’t realize it right away.”

            Situations are sometimes awkward for Angela when others do not understand her condition.  Angela said it is a slight challenge for her to tell people about her blindness because she is still self-conscious about it.

            “I was never really self-conscious about it until people started having their own opinions and they started making comments,” Angela said.

            Angela said she has interacted with some rude children and adults who have made fun of her thick glasses or her inability to see things without looking very closely at them. 

            “I don’t feel like I can be myself if they don’t understand,” Angela said, “because they’ll just judge me.  Not everyone’s nice about it.”

            But as she grew more mature, Angela made the decision not to let the negative comments of others get her down.  Angela learned to advocate for herself.

            When she returned her senior year of high school to the Kairos retreat, this time as a student leader, Angela felt comfortable talking about the challenges she faced.  She gave a speech to other students on the retreat about her vision and about God creating people for who they are.

            “I felt like I had to get it out,” Angela said. “It was very helpful.”

            Angela said the speech was one of her best experiences.

            “Everyone else understood me,” Angela said.  “It was really cool because I could share my insights with people and be out of my comfort zone a little bit.”

            Angela is getting more comfortable with telling people about her vision and does not consider her blindness a weakness.  But she does face some challenges every day.

            “She had to rely on her listening skills and finding security in a few good friends that she made,” Celeste Shuback said, “to help her with things that would seem simple to most children.”

            Angela said her largest challenge is where she is most dedicated.  Academics.

            “School is probably the most frustrating,” Angela said.  “I can’t always see the board in class, and I have to follow up with my teachers a lot.”

            Angela said she thinks she might read slower because she is seeing less words at a time than others and has to look closer at her books or computer screen.

            But Jim Shuback said Angela has never backed away from an academic challenge.

            “She took AP classes in high school and when it came time to go to college, she sure didn’t pick the easiest one,” said Jim Shuback, referring to Elon University. 

            And the choices she makes – being loving to her friends and family and dedicated through challenges – defines who Angela is as a person.

            “She’s a smart person and can figure things out,” Jim Shuback said.  “She usually does.”

            Whether in academics or throughout life, Angela is always showing her enthusiasm.

            “I think I’m more motivated than most people because I have to try harder,” Angela said.

            Angela Shuback’s dedication pushes her to success, although sometimes she must reach success by working into the early hours of the morning in the lighted study room.